Scots at highest risk of alcohol-related deaths

Scots are more likely to die from alcohol related diseases than anywhere else in the UK, new figures show.

During 2013, of 8,416 deaths related to alcohol illnesses in the UK, 1,100 of these were in Scotland

A report released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) discovered that men fared the worst: 29.8 Scottish men in every 100,000 (0.028%) died in 2013 from booze-related illnesses, compared to the national UK average of 19.1 men per 100,000 (0.019%).

The analysis also revealed that Scottish women are more at risk than women elsewhere in the UK, with a death rate of 13 per 100,000 (0.013%) in comparison with the national UK average which sits at 9.1 (0.091%).

Of the 8,416 deaths related to alcohol recorded across the UK, 1,100 were in Scotland.

However it’s not all bad news – in comparison with the 1,525 alcohol related deaths the country recorded 10 years ago, the number has significantly decreased.

In fact, the report found that Scotland was the only country in the UK to make considerable progress, reducing male deaths by 34% and female deaths by 25% – while England, Wales and Northern Ireland showed only a marginal reduction, if any at all.

Barbara O’Donnell, deputy chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, told the Daily Record: “It is obviously good news that alcohol-related deaths in Scotland have fallen in recent years but the rate is still higher than in England and Wales and higher than 20 years ago.

“Twenty one Scottish people are still dying because of alcohol every single week. Every alcohol-related death is a tragedy for the person and the family and friends they leave behind.

“We know what preventative action works – making alcohol less affordable, less available, and less visible.”

Overall, for both sexes, UK death rates were highest among those aged 60-64 years at 45.3 deaths per 100,000 men (0.045%) and 22.4 deaths per 100,000 women (0.022%) – although once again, in comparison with long term trends, this age standardised rate is at its lowest since the year 2000.

An NHS Scotland health report released last year found that overall alcohol sales in Scotland have dropped by 9% since 2009.